Each day in November—leading up to the winter meetings—Sporting News will analyze the offseason to-do list of a major league team. Today: the New York Yankees.

The Yankees’ offense looked old and inept when they were swept out of the ALCS. Getting younger, however, won’t be easy because they have so much invested in their veterans.

Getting younger might not be the end-all answer, anyway, for the short term. Those veterans weren’t that bad during the regular season when they helped the Yankees finish with the AL’s best record (95-67).

Offseason agenda

The only nine-figure contract the Yankees might hand out this winter is to extend second baseman Robinson Cano, their best player. But GM Brian Cashman has plenty to figure out while trying to lower a payroll that in 2012 topped $200 million for the fifth straight year.

Best-case for the Yankees would be to bring back catcher Russell Martin, Andy Pettitte, Hiroki Kuroda, Mariano Rivera and Rafael Soriano, and it’s possible only Martin and Soriano would need multi-year deals. Pettitte indicated during the season that he is more likely to put off retirement after a broken ankle limited him to three starts in the second half. Kuroda has said he would be willing to work on a one-year deal again.

Rivera told the team last week that he plans to pitch in 2013. Given his place in the organization, he won’t be happy if the team offers much less than the $15 million he has made for each of the past five seasons. Even if Rivera returns from season-ending knee surgery, retaining Soriano still makes sense because of how well he pitched in the ninth inning last year and Rivera can’t be expected to pitch for more than one more year.

To take Nick Swisher's spot in right field, free agent Torii Hunter would make a better fit than a return of Ichiro Suzuki, but Hunter figures to be in greater demand.

The Yankees also have numerous in-house issues to deal with. Most notably, of course, is the Alex Rodriguez situation. He has said he won’t waive his no-trade rights, and Cashman has said that A-Rod will be in the opening-day lineup.

But Cashman will be more than willing to listen to any scenario that could free the club from even a chunk of the five years and $114 million remaining on A-Rod’s contract. Why Rodriguez is so intent on staying in New York is a question being asked around the game.

The Yankees also are looking at a position switch between Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson, with Granderson moving to a corner outfield spot and the speedier Gardner taking over center.

The club can’t do much but keep its fingers crossed that Derek Jeter’s return from ankle surgery proceeds on schedule. Otherwise, he will not be ready by opening day.

Possible departures

With no fewer than a dozen free agents, the Yankees could look very different in 2013. But don’t count on it. Swisher, Freddy Garcia, Andruw Jones and reliever Pedro Feliciano, who never threw a pitch for the Yankees, are the only free agents who are long shots to return. Martin, Suzuki and Eric Chavez are 50-50 to come back and the chances are even better for Rivera, Soriano, Pettitte, Kuroda and Raul Ibanez.

Early 2013 outlook

The Yankees have plenty of firepower to enter 2013 as favorites in baseball’s toughest division. But making the playoffs isn’t enough in the Bronx. To win the World Series, the Yankees need an injection of fresh talent—or to find the fountain of youth.

On deck

Chris Bahr previews the Boston Red Sox’s offseason. Two bets: David Ortiz will be mentioned, and Bobby Valentine won’t—at least not flatteringly.